Hey, i am having trouble adding java to my path using the .bash_profile file so i don't have to enter export PATH=PATH:/usr/java/j2sdk1.4.2_04/bin every time i want to use the java command line tools. Here is what the file looks like now.

# .bash_profile

# Get the aliases and functions
if [ -f ~/.bashrc ]; then
. ~/.bashrc
fi

# User specific environment and startup programs

PATH=$PATH:$HOME/bin
BASH_ENV=$HOME/.bashrc
USERNAME="root"

export USERNAME BASH_ENV PATH
:/usr/java/j2sdk1.4.2_04/bin


could someone tell me what i am doing wrong.

thx,

jmax24

Your adding your ammended path variable AFTER it exports it..... Does no good. It has to be before the line:

export USERNAME BASH_ENV PATH

add to this line:

PATH=$PATH:$HOME/bin

so it reads:

PATH=$PATH:$HOME/bin:/usr/java/j2sdk1.4.2_04/bin

Thats kind of a wierd looking bash_profile as far as the PATH goes... Makes me wonder what $HOME equals......... What Distro are you using? What does '/etc/bashrc' look like? I always run as root so I don't mess with home files..... I do everything global.....

i am running redhat 8, and i also run as root, i do have a user called Jeff though.

here is what the bashrc file looks like

# .bashrc

# User specific aliases and functions

alias rm='rm -i'
alias cp='cp -i'
alias mv='mv -i'

# Source global definitions
if [ -f /etc/bashrc ]; then
. /etc/bashrc
fi

Oh... I was talking about "/etc/bashrc".. And actually, it's "/etc/profile" that contains the global paths..... If you want the java directory to be in your path for EVERY user than modify '/etc/profile'. If you just want it to be there for a certain user, then modify the '~/.bash_profile'...... My earlier suggestion still holds for how you should change it.....

here is my /etc/profile file, where should i put it in here

# /etc/profile

# System wide environment and startup programs, for login setup
# Functions and aliases go in /etc/bashrc

pathmunge () {
if ! echo $PATH | /bin/egrep -q "(^|$1($|" ; then
if [ "$2" = "after" ] ; then
PATH=$PATH:$1
else
PATH=$1:$PATH
fi
fi
}

# Path manipulation
if [ `id -u` = 0 ]; then
pathmunge /sbin
pathmunge /usr/sbin
pathmunge /usr/local/sbin
fi

pathmunge /usr/X11R6/bin after

unset pathmunge

# No core files by default
ulimit -S -c 0 > /dev/null 2>&1

USER="`id -un`"
LOGNAME=$USER
MAIL="/var/spool/mail/$USER"

HOSTNAME=`/bin/hostname`
HISTSIZE=1000

if [ -z "$INPUTRC" -a ! -f "$HOME/.inputrc" ]; then
INPUTRC=/etc/inputrc
fi

export PATH USER LOGNAME MAIL HOSTNAME HISTSIZE INPUTRC

for i in /etc/profile.d/*.sh ; do
if [ -r "$i" ]; then
. $i
fi
done

unset i

Well, I have Fedora on another partition and mine looks the same. I don't know why they mess with all these variables... I used to program basic as a kid so I'm familiar with it but not really at the same time... Your ~/bash_profile was easier to read.... I would do this for /etc/profile: This is just the relevant section...

# Path manipulation
if [ `id -u` = 0 ]; then
pathmunge /sbin
pathmunge /usr/sbin
pathmunge /usr/local/sbin
pathmunge /usr/java/j2sdk1.4.2_04/bin
fi

That should take care of root having access..... Then for "/home/jeff/.bash_profile" I would:

# .bash_profile

# Get the aliases and functions
if [ -f ~/.bashrc ]; then
. ~/.bashrc
fi

# User specific environment and startup programs

PATH=$PATH:$HOME/bin:/usr/java/j2sdk1.4.2_04/bin
BASH_ENV=$HOME/.bashrc
USERNAME="root"

export USERNAME BASH_ENV PATH


Or you could just copy that file and paste it into roots folder as well.....